Royal Surrey County Hospital leaders have distanced themselves from "inappropriate and ignorant" comments made about junior doctors during their bitter contract dispute with the government.

In a letter to all the trust’s junior doctors, seen exclusively by Get Surrey, medical director Christopher Tibbs and chief executive Peter Dunt also lamented the "palpable hit to junior doctor morale".

Sent five days after the second walkout on February 10, which saw a picket line outside the Royal Surrey, the carefully-worded letter holds back from coming down either in favour of or against the controversial government position.

But the authors did stress their appreciation of the hard work put in by junior doctors.

“It is sad that one of the inevitable by-products of the current dispute, about your terms and conditions, has been inappropriate and ignorant comments being made about junior doctors’ work ethic,” they wrote.

“Please be assured that any such views are not shared by senior management in this trust as it simply does not apply to you as members of our greatly valued junior team.”

They continued in the letter: “It is also sad that there has been a palpable hit to junior doctor morale.

“I’m not sure what we, or anyone else in the hospital, can do to raise your spirits from what is a national malaise, beyond saying that your tireless work for your patients is admired and valued not least by all those who you support by your diligence and good humour, be they colleagues, consultants, managers or indeed your patients.”

The government said its proposed new contract was part of a move to create a "seven-day NHS" by 2020.

Under the proposals, basic pay for young NHS doctors would rise by 13.5%, more than 2% above the 11% on offer last year.

However, the ‘plain time’ that the basic pay would cover will be extended from 7pm on weekdays to 9pm, meaning trainee medics will lose some of the overtime payments they currently enjoy for working antisocial hours.

Junior doctors, 98% of whom voted to take industrial action, overwhelmingly feel that the new terms and conditions will leave them financially worse off and put patients at risk.

Following a failure of long-running negotiations to reach a settlement, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt last week said he would impose the new contract, which is due to come into force this summer.